wow 123456789!!! i'm glad you're breaking your silence about what really happened. we used to go to kibarashi quite a bit, but would typically call first. you're right, we thought you were closed frequently towards the end and it was a disappointment. i'm sorry to hear that you and the staff were cheated out of your pay checks, lied to and completely disrespected. i hope that you have called a lawyer on this scumbag. anyways, def excited for wasabi. we now frequent kuni's and the flavorful pangaea. the more sushi the better!!! and that part about picking his fish up at the airport sounds delightful

I love Wasabi and have wished it was in the city (or at least closer) since the first time I ate there. WHOOHOO!!!!

I'd love to see Choy & Kevin O'Connell open a restaurant together.

FYI: I was interested to know why Kibirashi closed because I've been there quite a few times. I liked the atmosphere, the service was good, and the sushi was decent. I spoke with the Fowler's Chocolates people next door to the restaurant. They told me that the guy running the place just up and disappeared a few months back without even notifying his employees. This indicates a case of mismanagement rather than the inability for a sushi establishment to exist at 752 Elmwood Avenue. It will be great to see Wasabi open in the location.

We looked for a location in the city for better than one year, the rent structures of Hertel, Elmwood and Delaware exceeded the projected 8% maximum occupancy ratio recommended, using conservative estimates of operating budgets. Owning or at least building equity into an investment is almost impossible in selected and desired areas.

Activity in a business is only an indication of demand not profitability, high labor, high fixed expenses and escalating food cost, not over come by pricing will sink any restaurant. Look for more closing as margins shrink.

In response to Buffalosun, the situation you describe is not new or unique to this area. Every so often going back forty years of my recollection there has been some controversy regarding a restaurant. Usually ego is the is cause for the more bizarre incidents. Greed is less a problem because it's more easily perceived and operational discrepancy is also difficult to hide.

The drive to succeed in the most failure prone industry requires a big fire in the belly, most that succeed demonstrate egotistical traits, control over that energy ( self contained dynamite) is difficult. Dealing with the public is high profile, usually placing the front person on stage all the time, and that kind of exposure can produce tremendous pressure. The pressure can take different avenues of release or become a addiction of self abuse.

The evidence of unconfined ego, is the discrepancy in activity from that which is considered normal and becomes apparent when the pressure becomes too great. Opening a restaurant is more likely a egomaniac decision than an economic consideration. The great majority of those who try this activity enter under prepared. Most places that are opened, are to facilitate placing an ego on stage and more resources are spent props than substance. Having a complete knowledge of a produce or service is the first priority. Identifying the customer base and demographics is the second. Understanding marketing and behavior is the third priority but hardly considered. Production flow and traffic direction is the fourth. Knowing the operating ratios of any endeavor is the most important priority that should be considered but is usually the most neglected. Finally the ability to assemble and direct a group of individuals who in concert service the customers is a must.

Grocery stores fill the need to eat available food, restaurants fill the desire to eat in a social context. Being able to produce an attractive dining experience is an acquired skill that most new operators are too impatient to invest the time in, to understand the complete picture. If a restaurant doesn't make money it doesn't stay open, instant success is generally temporary, building a customer base takes time and challenges the impatience that is inherent to the ego.

wow 123456789!!! i'm glad you're breaking your silence about what really happened. we used to go to kibarashi quite a bit, but would typically call first. you're right, we thought you were closed frequently towards the end and it was a disappointment. i'm sorry to hear that you and the staff were cheated out of your pay checks, lied to and completely disrespected. i hope that you have called a lawyer on this scumbag. anyways, def excited for wasabi. we now frequent kuni's and the flavorful pangaea. the more sushi the better!!!

Re: what 1234567 said, I can believe it. There are unfortunately some people in this world who only think of themselves in business and in life! I'm sorry for what happened and I hope you have a great new job now! Or maybe you can consider joining Wasabi on Elmwood? :)